Visual Resource Management

By law, the BLM is responsible for managing public lands for multiple uses. BLM is also responsible for ensuring that the scenic values of these public lands are considered before allowing uses that may have negative visual impacts.

BLM accomplishes this through its Visual Resource Management (VRM) system, a system which involves inventorying scenic values and establishing management objectives for those values through the resource management planning process, and then evaluating proposed activities to determine whether they conform with the management objectives. BLM has established VRM coordinators in each state and provides training in VRM so that this system is implemented effectively throughout the Bureau. The Bureau’s VRM system helps to ensure that the actions taken on the public lands today will benefit the landscape and adjacent communities in the future.

BLM, in collaboration with the paint industry and other governmental agencies, has developed a VRM Standard Environmental Colors Chart that best represent the typical colors found in western landscapes. The colors shown here are close representations; however, due to variations in hardware and software capabilities, they may not be accurate and should not be used for actual color selection. A paper copy of the chart can be obtained from:

Please provide name, physical address (no P.O. Boxes), telephone number and quantity with each order. Other resources that are helpful in selecting project colors are the Munsell color charts for soil and plant tissues.